Last night I flushed three fawns who vanished into the field. They may have been triplets. I did not see their mom anywhere but I am sure she was nearby. I had never seen triplets before. I never know exactly what I will flush along that road although I see deer less often there than the other way I have to go into town. The juxtaposition of animals with people always amazes me.

I want to grow old gracefully. I am slowing down physically. A nap in the middle of the day is almost an necessity. I do not want to complain about my ailments. My Mom did not like it when I told her, “When you get old, parts don’t work right any longer.” I am well aware that the fact my kidney function has stabilized the last three years is totally by the grace of God. Dialysis has not yet been necessary. Everything is by grace. I know my time will come and I will return to dust. No one lives forever. And we act as if we should. Death is the last taboo. I just want to get older with dignity and grace. That is my only prayer.

It was April 27 and I still have not seen the first hummingbird of the season. I had my feeder out for at least a week and I was running out of time. In less than three days I would be going on a trip. In the past the first hummingbird was always seen by the end of April. I only had two and an half days to make my first sighting. I love watching hummingbirds and wonder whether I will see one before I leave on my trip. Maybe, my wife will have to report back to me when she sees the first one.

It was a small unexpected favor. I drove out of my driveway and noticed my neighbor mowing on his riding tractor the strip of grass two and half feet wide between the fence and the road. The person who had been mowing our lawn was no longer available. As I passed my neighbor I thanked him for cutting that strip of lawn. I really appreciated that. It was totally unexpected.

I made a nightly run for snacks. The convenience/gas station is open twenty-four hours. On the way home (it was dark already) I flushed a baby cottontail who ran back in the same direction he had come from. The next thing I had to do was step on my brakes suddenly to prevent myself from running over a raccoon. He was right in front of me. I even backtracked to make sure I had not run it over. I was relieved. There was no sign of him. I have to be careful driving at night. I never know what I am going to flush next. It could be a deer or turkey or groundhog or an opossum.

My pansies are flourishing. We bought lots of them and they are doing great in the various pots. It is perfect weather for them–fifties and sixties most of the time. I love looking at the different varieties. Many of them are multicolored. We never had so many. It is a small thing but it gives my wife (and me) much joy to see another of God’s creations. And my has He been busy. Every day my wife walks around the garden to make the next discovery. Spring is aptly named. Everything springs up.

The latest discovery was a robin built a nest right in a tree next to our bathroom window. This was pointed out by my wife when I got up. Since then I have seen the robin sit in the nest and also bring more building material to it. I want to disturb it as little as possible. Now I will keep an eye open for it and I am curious whether I will see the baby birds when they come. Each day has another discovery. That is all life is a series of small discoveries.

Union Square In San Francisco is an oasis in a sea of concrete. There are all kinds of plants, trees and bushes and flowers. There are few trees or flowers around it. I was at the Cafe there and was amazed when a hummingbird zoomed in and out some flowers nearby. All kind of questions came up. Does it live in that area. And if it doesn’t, where did it come from? There simply were not many flowers nearby. To me it was a little miracle the hummingbird found Union Square–an oasis to it. Life is full of little miracles. And the appearance of the hummingbird was one. Every day miracles occur. We just have to open our eyes and be receptive. Miracles are not always earth shattering.

I am almost fully packed for my trip and I am not leaving for six days. There is just some last minute packing. It has been decades since I have been gone that long from home–over two weeks and I am excited. I am going alone but, maybe, my wife will join me in San Francisco but that may be wishful thinking. She does not like traveling on airplanes.

It was a quick moment. Through the corner of my eyes I saw through the screen door a large bird hop on the top of the portion of our fence on the far end perpendicular to our entrance. I did not get a good look at it. It could have been a robin. At the very same moment China our exotically black and white colored cat was looking directly at it very intently from our house. Then the bird disappeared and he lost interest immediately and walked away. It was just a small moment but I was glad I actually noticed it. That is all life is: many small moments and often you blink and they are gone.

I actually dug up my insulated underwear. Now I am cozy. It is only going up to fifty today. We had stretches of weather where it was at least seventy. Now it is cooler–fifties and low sixties. We even had a day or two where it hit eighty. I am a little warm in the house but feel perfectly comfortable outside. I simply do not like being cold. I don’t seem to tolerate low temperatures too well any longer.

It is so easy to be ungrateful. The only thing that counters that is to count your blessings. Don’t compare yourself to any one else. It never works. It never makes you happy. Be satisfied with the portion God has bequeathed you. There is a reason ‘thou shall not covet’ is one of the ten commandments. Thank God for everything. Some people are here to do great things. Others many small things with much love. It is really the tiny things we remember–the favors others graciously gave us. After all isn’t life composed of myriad details. The great events only come once in awhile. You may be the recipient of only one or two earthshaking events. So enjoy all your life. You only get one time around. And thank God for everything. Face each day with a spirit of thankfulness and gratefulness. God does not owe you anything. And no one ever said life would be fair. So never torture yourself with the question “Why?” There is no appropriate answer. Most likely silence is all you will hear from the heavens above. Appreciate every moment given to you. Time is a gift so thank God for all your precious moments.